CA2202559A1

CA2202559A1 - Compushade

Info

Publication number: CA2202559A1
Application number: CA 2202559
Authority: CA
Inventors: Daniel Schonblum
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-14
Filing date: 1997-04-14
Publication date: 1998-10-14

Description

CA 02202~9 1997-04-14 Daniel Schonblum 188 Dunblaine Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M5M 2S5 Canada Tel:(416) 785-8077 Fax (416)785-7172 Email: teeth(~ican.net This is a miniature version of the IPS opaque-dentin V Shade guide made to the specifications noted in the diagram. This mini shade guide shollld be made of high quality plastic material which can be autoclaved after each use. The 16 Vita Shades should be 2mm x 3mm and be surrounded by lmm of clear plastic. The new shade tabs should have the same surface texture as the current shade tabs, and be flush with the clear plastic that is surrounding each square.
-PressR~ e CA oi202 F F 9 1 9 9 7-04- î 4il~5~h~ nbOx?id=332c32lF36DA~io~org,o ' 338 , bject: Press Release Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 12:47:11 -0500 From: Shmuel Weidberg <shmuel(~io.org>
To: Dovid Schonblurn ~teeth(~ican.net>
We are looking for partners to help market CompuShade, a method for getting computers to determine the shade of teeth. Many dentists find it quite difficult to tell the difference between a B3 and a B2. We have a solution to the problem.
1. The dentist takes a picture of the patient. The picture can be taken with a traditional camera such as the Yashica~ Dental Camera and Ring Light, and then scanned into a computer by the doctor, or technician.
Better still, it can be taken digitally with a video camera attached to the Snappy~ digitizer which plugs into the back of any computer. A more convenient method might be to take the picture with a digital camera such as the Kodak~ DC 40 modified with a ring light.

2. The doctor takes the picture with the patient or an assistant holding a mini shade guide in the mouth or near the teeth. The doctor takes at least 4 photographs from different angles to ensure that a clear picture with no shadowing from the nose or lips and no glare is produced. Two shots should be straight on (no glare, and one from either side at a 45 degree angle to include cuspids and bicuspids.

3. We specially designed the mini guide using the 16 shades of the Vita shade guide of opaque dentin porcelains which has the closest match of any other porcelains to natural dentition. The mini guide can be sterilized (autoclaved) for germ free reuse on other patients.

4. The digitized picture can then be sent to the dental lab via email or saved onto a disk. The disk or traditional photograph can be sent via mail, courier, or overnight delivery.

5. The Lab uses a program to find which one of the shade tabs is the closest match to the tooth. Alternatively, the program itself can be marketed to the dentist and he can-~use~it~ to determine the shade on his own and tell the lab over the phone.

6. Matching of shades is accomplished by comparing the rgb values of the teeth to the rgb values of each shade tab and finding the closest match.
This is accurate because both the teeth and the shade guide are photographed under the same light. We can match the dentin enamels and translucencies (if present) to the natural dentition. In our experience, the computer is as accurate as the technician is, at selecting a matching shade.

7. We have a picture gallery on the Internet of before and after shots of patients whose teeth were restored without them ever having been in the technician's office. Doctors are encouraged to add their own work to our gallery to show to prospective patients.

--Shmuel Weidberg--Toronto, Canada-- shmuel@ican.net -- http://home.ican.net/~shmuel {\rtfl\ansi\ansicpgl252\ucl \deffO\deflanglO33\deflangfelO33{\fonttbl{\fO\froman\fch \par lof2 3116/971:39PM